The sixth annual University of Washington Environmental Innovation Challenge took place Thursday in Seattle, with 23 teams competing with new technologies that re-imagined alternative fuels, recycling, solar power, water treatment and more.
Here’s a look at the six winners of the event, chosen by a field of more than 170 judges from the community, with descriptions from the UW.
$10,000 Grand Prize
Korvata (University of Washington): Korvata has created a cutting edge alternative energy product that allows companies to mitigate their environmental impact by replacing the use of nitrous oxide as a whipped cream propellant.
$5,000 Second Place Prize and $5,000 Clean Energy Prize
NOVA Solar Window (Western Washington University): NOVA Solar Window combines the power producing capabilities of a solar panel with the utility of a traditional window. The utilization of transparent solar energy technology allows solar windows to provide renewable energy where traditional solar panels cannot.
$2,500 Honorable Mentions
Loopool (Bainbridge Graduate Institute, Seattle Central Community College, University of Washington): Loopool is reinventing the garment industry business model by creating a closed-loop supply chain, transforming reclaimed cotton garments and textiles into high-quality, bio-based fiber.
Salon Solids (University of Washington): Salon Solids reduces the amount of plastic waste and hazardous chemical consumption that occurs with most hair products. Its six-ingredient shampoo and conditioner comes in solid form, eliminating the need for the preservatives necessary for a product with water in it, and its packaging is recyclable, biodegradable and does not contain plastic, further reducing waste.
Ionometal Technologies (University of Washington): Ionometal Technologies has created a metal plating technique that allows for precise metal-on-metal deposition which can be used to repair gold test boards. The Ionometal printer prints metal plates that are smaller than can be seen with the naked eye.